Indian classical music has been and still is an oral tradition. Ideally it should be learnt from a guru who is the fountain of knowledge. BUT how many students of music are able to find a learned guru to learn from? Ordinary teachers of music CANNOT take the place of a guru. Books have their own value but they cannot make a musician. As a consequence, a good talent is often misguided or wasted and a serious student of music languishes in search of knowledge.
It is in this background that I have endeavoured to fall back on the second best alternative, which can reach and benefit not only the elementary students of music, but advanced students, young practitioners and some teachers also.
In preparing this work, I acknowledge with gratitude the most valuable guidance which I received from time to time from Late Pandit K. G. Ginde and Pandit Ram Ashray Jha, now living at Allahabad, both of whom I have regarded as amongst the most learned musicians of the last few decades.
My work will not be confined to this or a few more albums. I plan to cover around 60 ragas, which are commonly learned by students, elementary and advanced, and used by performers. By and large, the format will also remain the same, each CD containing 4 to 5 ragas, which are very close to each other and where both students and aspiring performers need clarity and understanding.
I have selected Subhra Guha’s voice for this work because besides being a very fine performer, she is amongst the very few young musicians who can handle 60/70 ragas with correct nuances and perfect ease and confidence. I also took the decision that for the entire series, I wanted one pitch and one voice.
I hope my work will be well received and will help and benefit deserving and aspiring students of music as also the connoisseurs.
